SwanQueen Week Summer 2014
by EmmaShalforever
Summary: My stories created for the SwanQueen Week challenge on Tumblr
1. Awkward Situation

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters and make no profit from them.

Beta'ed by yoanagf.

AN: I'm going through the chapters, editing, at a more leisurely pace now that I have more time since I feel some of them needs a little more filling.

Day 1 of SwanQueen Week Summer 2014: Awkward Situation

* * *

"Emma, honey, I really need to speak with you."

"Wow, those words are a flashing warning if I've ever heard one," Emma replied with an uncomfortable laugh, frowning when Snow didn't join in or reassure her that everything was fine. "Is something wrong?"

"Sit, please," Snow urged her daughter, grabbing lightly, but insistently at her arm and guiding her over to the couch.

"Okay, you're kinda freaking me out. What the hell is going on?"

"I need to talk to you about Regina."

"Oh," Emma breathed out, her stomach dropping as she realized that this was the proverbial shoe dropping that she had feared for the last three and a half months. Of course Snow wasn't really okay with her and Regina's relationship, even though she kept saying she was. How stupid of her to take the woman at face value when she should have known better.

"Now, I know this is going to be unpleasant – it sure is for me – but there are some concerns that I really feel like I should address where your relationship is concerned."

Emma tried to give her mother a stoic and understanding smile, but it felt more like a grimace.

"You don't really condone it."

"Oh no, honey, I do. **I do**," Snow was quick to reassure when she saw how her daughter's face fell. "I meant it when I said I only want your happiness and I know that when Regina loves it's with her whole being, but…it's just...I'm concerned she might not feel that way about you."

"Oh," Emma exclaimed in relief. Snow was not about to disown her or force her to end her relationship. Anything else she could deal with. "What makes you think that?"

"Well, there's been certain sightings," Snow started and Emma's brows furrowed when she realized there was the beginnings of a flush in her mother's cheeks. "And it's come to our attention that maybe Regina isn't treating you very…right."

Emma couldn't help it, she laughed out loud at the ridiculousness of the woman's claims. Regina was practically the perfect girlfriend for her. She fed her delicious food, was mostly attentive to her moods and needs and gave her some damn amazing orgasms. Regina challenged her, but never forced her to be or give anything more than she felt she could because they'd both experienced having their choices and freedom taken away.

"What, you think I'm just star-struck and I'm letting her take advantage of me?" she asked with a snort that turned into a look of incredulity when Snow's face remained serious and worried. "I'm sorry, where exactly is this coming from?"

"Please try not to be mortified, I'm just trying to look out for you okay?" her mother pleaded, her cheeks definitely a rosy red now and Emma found herself fearing whatever would come next, her body tensing in a dreading sort of anticipation.

"It's just that she's never very nice to you in public, which I know isn't anything new, but shouldn't she be a little…kinder now that you're together?" Snow started gently, her look one of soft condescension and pity that made Emma bristle defensively. "And then I was approached a month ago because someone heard her demand certain things from you in her office-"

Emma grew pale as she realized just what kind of _things_ Snow was referring to even as she silently vowed to have Regina fire the damn useless secretary that apparently caught them and didn't understand the term discretion.

"And then last week Leroy informed me that Regina came into the sheriff's station and more or less manhandled you before forcing you to perform…" Snow stopped to swallow tightly, her eyes unable to meet her daughter's before she whispered dramatically, "oral favors."

The blonde's cheeks grew warm as she recounted that particular morning and silently berated herself for being so reckless while simultaneously cursing Leroy for being sober and aware enough on that particular day of all days to hear anything. Regina was going to kill her when she found out. It had taken so much pleading and convincing to get her to agree to any kind of intimacy outside the comfort of her mansion – except for Snows apartment because she still had a soft spot for finding delight in the woman's possible scarring that Emma knew how to take advantage of - and now there was no way she'd be able to convince her to do anything fun again for a long time.

"I'm not sure what you're asking me here. She's not forcing me to do anything if that's what you're worried about."

She could feel her cheeks starting to heat up because, oh god, if Snow at some point actually took a moment to look back at this conversation, she'd realize they'd just shared _way_ more specific details about her preferences when it came to sex than any mother and daughter ever should.

"Are you sure? Because a relationship is about being equals and if Regina doesn't…reciprocate-"

"Oh God, you have to stop right now," Emma groaned loudly, scrunching her face in embarrassment and trying to spare them both from the pained look on her mother's face. "Just trust me when I say that she more than satisfies, okay?"

Snow looked like she was weighing the pros and cons of inquiring further, but in the end it seemed her desire to forget this conversation ever happened won out as she nodded and let it go.

* * *

"We're gonna get caught," Emma whispered loudly as she tried to steer them away from the floral patterned bed that belonged to her parents. How David could sleep in that and still feel like a proper man she'd never know. There'd better be some damn good compensation for it...and, eww, that's so not what she needed to think about right now. Or ever.

"I thought that was sort of the point," Regina purred as she bit down teasingly at a pale neck while stroking firmly between jean clad thighs, drawing a guttural sound of approval from the blonde.

"Having my mom walking in on us having sex is _not_ what I want," Emma argued with a frustrated groan as she realized there was no way Regina would budge unless she used raw force. "And I've told you a million times that I refuse to do it in their bed." Which Regina had mocked her for because when had Emma Swan ever been a prude?

"Oh, relax, we can just change the sheets after and the only ones who'll know will be us," Regina goaded, moving her lips so she could latch onto the sheriff's bottom one while her remaining unoccupied hand slid up under her shirt to claw lightly against pale, toned flesh, sending shivers down the blonde's spine.

Emma moaned loudly before releasing an unladylike squeak as she was suddenly pushed backwards, losing her balance and falling down on the bed that was currently under discussion.

"You're the one who's always urging me to '_live a little_'," Regina purred as she crawled on top of the woman and purposefully ground her hips down.

"Oh God," Emma gasped as her heart started beating furiously further south than it did most of the time, her hands moving of their own accord to grasp onto that delicious ass so she could create better friction. Regina's victory smile was positively wicked as she deliberately rode Emma slowly, short nails practically digging into her ass, as the blonde mewled with want and tried to make her speed up. She briefly wondered if Emma could come like this. It was tempting to try, but she had other plans at the moment.

"I need to make sure you feel like my equal after all," she teased, hands reaching down to stroke over breasts - hips never stopping their slow, teasing rythm - before rolling rapidly hardening nipples between her fingers; Emma's chest straining against her tank top as she sucked in lungful's of much needed air.

"Don't you want to make sure I satisfy you?" Regina continued in a slightly mocking tone while nimble fingers moved down to unbutton the blonde's tight-fitting pants.

"What do you want?" Emma gritted out between slightly breathless pants, knowing herself well enough to admit that she had lost this round and would soon do pretty much anything the woman wanted just to experience the pleasure she could instill and get off.

Sometimes the way Regina looked at her and touched her felt like a drug she was rapidly getting addicted to. It was like the woman wanted to devour her, like she couldn't ever get enough or be close enough. At first it had been a little frightening because Emma feared Regina would grow tired of her, or that she wouldn't measure up. But three weeks turned into two months and the intensity of the woman didn't wane and she forced herself to relax and stop worrying so much so she could properly enjoy all that Regina offered her instead.

"I want you to get rid of the jeans and sit on my face so I can thoroughly show how much I enjoy you," Regina purred, a shiver racing down the blonde's spine and all the way down to her toes because there was just something so hot about the former Queen being so demanding and uncouth.

As soon as the woman gracefully lifted her leg and got off her, Emma scrambled to do as told. Her parents' bed be damned, there was no way she was saying no to those lips and that tongue knowing what they could do.

Regina released an amused chuckle as the blonde battled with her pants, earning herself a harsh glare, before Emma managed to kick them off and gave a triumphant smile, quickly crawling back on the bed and settling on top of the reclining woman.

Rich laughter filled the room at the blonde's obvious excitement which Emma kissed away until the only sound coming from Regina's mouth was heavy breathing and a happy hum in the back of her throat.

"Move," Regina commanded between teasing nips at bruised pink lips, smiling when Emma leaned in to give her one last thorough kiss before scooting upwards until she could rest her knees on either side of dark locks, ass settling against the woman's chest so she could look down at her.

"Are you sure?"

An offended and impatient growl was the only answer she got before hands pushed at her ass until Regina's lips found what she wanted.

Emma's breath hitched as the woman kissed and caressed and sucked at her labia as if it were her mouth, eyes closing so she could soak in the feeling as one of her hands tangled encouragingly in Regina's hair while the other settled against a raised thigh behind her to keep her steady and hopefully give the woman more breathing room so she didn't risk being smothered.

"Oh God, Regina," Emma groaned in approval as the woman let her tongue start to explore as well.

It was a teasing motion of tongue pressing just slightly against her opening before lips sucked at her labia, ending with a few flicks of tongue against her clit, repeating over and over. It was a move meant to force her higher and higher, but not let her tip over the edge. Emma both loved it and hated it, trying her best not to grind herself against Regina's face while simultaneously trying to plead with the woman to let her come.

"Please," Emma breathed as her grip on the woman's hair tightened, desperate for Regina to give her what she needed.

A satisfied chuckle vibrated against her slick heat before Regina's tongue swiped from her opening to her clit and finally started sucking at the protruding nub. A low keening noise started low in Emma's throat as she moaned her approval and started rocking softly against the woman, chanting her name over and over as her pleasure mounted until she finally tumbled over the high wall she'd been climbing towards, Regina's name torn from parted lips loud enough to travel through the small apartment.

Emma was still trembling and trying to ride out her high when the sound of wood splintering pierced the air and the front door burst open. She released a choked yelp of surprise and shock as she found David's frantic and worried eyes. And then a shrill cry of anger and disbelief rang out through the apartment.

"That's our bed!"

Emma just looked dumbly at Snow who was staring dazed at her daughter. And then the blonde released a surprised shriek as Regina bit the inside of her thigh to get her attention.

"Now would probably be a good time for you to move, dear." Even in this compromising position, the former Queen had to supress a wicked grin, not even bothering to hide the glee in her voice at possibly managing to scar her former step-daughter just a little more.

Emma's cheeks flamed up and her hands quickly moved to cover her exposed lower half as she hurriedly rolled away from the woman's face to hide it from her parents' view. David's mind finally caught up with his eyes and his hand smacked across his eyes to try to give the two women a sense of privacy while Snow's face grew a frightening shade of nearly purple before she released an almost inhuman sound and promptly turned on her heel and fled, leaving her husband to comically try to feel his way back out through the ruined door.


	2. Fake Relationship

AN: This assumes some stuff on the show never happened, like Emma travelling back in time with Hook and Regina starting a thing with Hood just because she saw his tattoo.

Rated T.

Day 2 of SwanQueen Week Summer 2014: Fake Relationship

* * *

"Hey, baby, there you are!" Emma exclaimed loudly, making Regina turn to stare at her with both interest and confusion.

Full, red lips turned down in a bewildered frown when she realized the blonde was actually looking at her and was apparently making her way closer.

"Emma, are you drunk again?" she offered in a fake motherly tone before her eyes widened almost imperceptibly at the look of determination and pleading in the sheriff's eyes. "Emma, what's-" was all she got out before firm, pink lips covered her own.

As far as kisses went, it was not a great one. Emma had caught her completely off guard, mouth half open as she was speaking, and the surprising pressure as the blonde almost crashed against her forced Regina to take a step back to prevent losing her balance.

When Emma pulled back, all the former Evil Queen could do was gape at her in disbelief.

"Please play along," the sheriff whispered desperately before wrapping the stiff woman in her arms.

"Emma, what on earth are you-" Regina started to protest before her eyes landed on Hook's narrowed ones and she realized what was happening. She offered him a lecherous grin before tangling her hands possessively in long blonde tresses, forcing Emma's head back until she could capture a pale lower lip between her own darker ones.

The sheriff's hands fell to hips of their own accord, clutching a little frantically as she let herself fall into the kiss, unable to keep a small whimper from escaping her throat as teeth nipped playfully at her lips before a tongue soothed sensually. The mayor definitely knew how to kiss.

Regina smirked into the kiss as she looked pointedly over at the pirate while keeping up the charade. If Emma was going to use her as an excuse to get away from the smarmy one-handed bandit, there was no reason for her to not get any kind of enjoyment out of it as well. Hook gave her a sullen look before clearing his throat.

The women drew back slowly – as if they didn't really want to – Regina releasing Emma's lip with a pop. When the blonde turned to look at the pirate, it was with a slightly dazed look and a faint tinge of pink in her cheeks.

"I told you," Emma offered stoically as she gave Hook a pointed glare and his shoulders sank just a tiny bit in defeat.

"I guess you did, love," he admitted gruffly.

"After all your alleged experience with women, Captain, I'd think you would know when one isn't interested," Regina shot at him with a gleefully condescending smirk. Emma side-eyed her warningly.

"You can't fault a man for trying, Your Majesty," he answered with a mock bow.

"I can when he doesn't understand the word 'No'," she fired right back, not overtly surprised when the sheriff quickly stepped in between them.

"Okay, that's enough," she ordered, giving Regina _the look_ before she did the same with Hook.

"If you say so, dear," the former Queen relented with a theatrical sigh, watching the pirate lift his one good hand in a show of surrender.

"Let's go have that lunch I promised you, yeah?" Emma asked the mayor, glad for once that the woman knew how to keep a poker face since they weren't actually supposed to meet at all.

"Yes, let's, darling. I do believe you promised me dessert," Regina practically purred as she let her hand travel lightly down a toned, leather clad arm. The low, seductive voice sent involuntary shivers down the blonde's spine, making Hook's face sour while Regina released a throaty chuckle that didn't really help with the shivers at all.

* * *

"Do I even want to know?" Regina asked amused as they took their seats opposite each other in a free booth at Granny's, Emma's back facing away from the door.

The blonde sighed as she slumped a little in her spot and picked up the never changing menu to keep herself busy. "Hook is…very persistent," she mumbled, keeping her eyes firmly on the words she weren't really reading.

"I'm assuming it's leaning further towards creepy stalker since you're going to such desperate lengths as to pretend being in a relationship with me."

Annoyed green eyes looked at her over the edge of the menu. "Is that supposed to be a jab against gay people? Because I know you're all from the freaking middle-ages, but you've been in this word for, what, 30 years? Homophobia isn't a very attractive trait."

"Although I appreciate your defense of people who fail to conform to the norm, dear, I was actually referring to me being the Evil Queen," Regina offered with a self-deprecating sort of smile that made the sheriff's brows furrow into a frown.

"_Former_ Evil Queen," she reminded the brunette firmly. "You're reformed or whatever. You're not the villain anymore and anyway, Hook was a pirate so he wasn't exactly a saint either."

"_Is_ a pirate, dear. He's still living on his ship, wearing the same clothes he has for the past two centuries, give or take a few decades, and trying to drown himself in his endless supply of rum."

The blonde's face morphed into one of disgust that had Regina grinning with wicked amusement. And then the diner door opened and Snow walked inside, stopping abruptly when her eyes met her former step-mother's and she realized the blonde head sitting in the booth with her was none other than her daughter.

A sudden glint lit up in the mayor's eyes as she recognized the opportunity presented to her. "So I'm assuming you wish for us to pretend to be together until he backs off, correct?" she hurried to ask Emma, side-eyeing the many conflicting emotions passing over Snow's features.

"That would be great, thanks," the sheriff offered with a relieved exhale, oblivious to the woman making her way closer, having finally decided on a course of action.

Regina's smile turned to one of seduction as she leaned over and started stroking the suddenly stupefied blonde woman's hand. "Darling, I don't think I'm in the mood for Granny's right now. I'd rather indulge in a more...succulent treat," she purred, thrilled at the way Emma's mouth fell open as she gaped at her. The pixie-haired woman almost at their table stumbled on her feet and nearly lost her balance at the suggestive words directed at her daughter.

The commotion forced the sheriff out of her shocked stupor and she turned her head to look, stomach dropping and cheeks heating up when she realized what had just happened. She should have expected it really. Of course Regina would exploit her awkward predicament. What had she been thinking when she told Hook she honestly wasn't interested because she was already seeing Regina? Well, to be perfectly honest she hadn't thought much since she was panicking and it was the first thing that came out of her mouth. But there was no way she was going to spend any time thinking about _why_ that was. Nope, not happening.

"Uh, hey, Mary Margaret," Emma mumbled awkwardly as she tried to consciously keep her flush from spreading all the way to her ears, sending a brief glare Regina's way when the woman refused to let go of her hand.

"Don't you Mary Margaret me," Snow said accusingly, glaring between the two women before demanding hotly, "Someone tell me what the hell is going on here."

Emma barely had time to open her mouth to stutter a half-assed lie in reply before Regina's clear voice stated confidently, "I'm seeing your daughter."

"Excuse me?" Snow challenged, pretending she didn't understand just what the former Evil Queen was saying while Emma's head whipped back around to shoot a warning, almost pleading, look at Regina that went unheeded.

"I'm dating your daughter. We're romantically involved. We stay together in bed; naked," the mayor offered without pause, pronouncing each word carefully as if speaking to a child or a somewhat challenged person – which Snow sometimes acted like by the way, if anyone were to ask her.

"Please stop," Emma begged in a whisper as she sunk as far down in her seat as she could and watched her mother's face grow ashen, as if she'd just gotten food poisoning and were about to be sick.

"Should I give you even further details? Paint you the full picture? Give you a demonstration perhaps?" Regina continued, unable and unwilling to hide her glee at the stricken look it forced onto her former, not entirely forgotten and over with, nemesis.

"_Regina,_" the sheriff hissed, trying to subtly kick the woman under the table and missing the mark entirely, creating a dull thudding sound that apparently startled Snow out of her shocked state.

"No, it's…it's fine, Emma," the pixie-haired woman forced herself to reply as she shook her head to rid herself of the unwanted images of Regina and _her daughter_. "If you're happy that's all we want, I just…need a moment," she finished with a shaky smile before turning away and more or less stumbling out of the diner.

"This isn't funny," the blonde gritted out after watching her former room-mate, now turned mother's less than graceful exit and turning back to find a cheshire grin on the mayor's face.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Were you expecting us to only pretend whenever Hook is around? With his penchant for popping up wherever you are, we'd have to fake it in front of your parents sooner or later anyway."

Emma glowered because even if Regina was getting way too much amusement out of this on others' behalf, she did have a valid point. And that just sucked.

"I'm sorry, dear, but I seem to have lost my appetite. I better get back to work. This town doesn't run itself," the brunette stated teasingly as she stood and smoothed out her dress before taking two steps so she was towering next to Emma. Green eyes barely had time to look up at the mischievous glint in darker orbs before soft, but firm fingers curled around her chin and tilted her head upwards so lips could press against lips.

"I'll see you later, darling," Regina promised before she turned and strutted away, leaving the sheriff gaping stupefied after her.

_Damn, that woman is too good at pretending_, Emma found herself thinking as she shook her head to rid herself of the bewildered fog swirling inside.

* * *

"Emma!" Henry exclaimed happily when he opened the door to find his second mom standing outside. "What are you doing here?"

"Your mom invited me to spend the evening with you two, didn't she tell you?" the blonde offered with a grin just as Regina emerged from the kitchen.

"You did? Really?" the boy asked excitedly as he turned quickly to his adoptive mom, barreling into her and hugging her tightly before she could confirm or deny it.

"Well, we are both your mothers," the mayor replied as she hugged her son back, glaring at Emma over his head. The sheriff simply gave her a look that screamed 'payback is a bitch', before she closed the door and kicked off her boots.

"Awesome," Henry exclaimed once he pulled away and turned back to his birth mom. "Mom's just started on dinner, wanna come play with me?" he offered excitedly.

"Oh, uh, I don't know, kid," Emma fumbled as she looked over at carefully masked features. "Maybe I should help with the food?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Regina cut in, lips tight and eyes shooting daggers, "I prefer to give our son an edible dinner, not food poisoning."

Emma pretended to pout and Henry laughed before taking the blonde woman's arm and dragging her away. He had missed playing games with his mom like they did the year they spent in New York.

* * *

"I'm going to kill you," Regina hissed as she was pulled against the sheriff's side on the couch, Henry rifling through the collection to find a movie he thought they'd all be okay with watching.

"It's a little too late for that. You already tried. And failed."

"This isn't a joke, Miss Swan," she gritted out lowly, eyes carefully watching their son to make sure he was occupied. She tried, and failed, to discreetly pry herself away from the arm around her shoulder that was keeping her in place.

"I know that. _You're_ the one who made a show out of mocking Snow with it."

Regina gave up on trying to get away from the woman's hold and snorted, waving a hand dismissively when Henry turned to look at them briefly and make sure everything was okay. "Please, that girl is as delicate as a flower." A thoughtful look spread over sun-kissed features. "I guess that explains _you_."

Emma chuckled, refusing to take the bait. She had proven herself more than sturdy enough through their countless encounters with each other in the past. The mayor glared at her again as Henry finally seemed to make a decision and started fussing with the player and TV.

"As soon as Henry's in bed, I'm going to kill you," Regina promised, smiling softly when her son turned towards them, grinning, before throwing himself at the other end of the couch like only teenagers did.

* * *

"Where do you think you're going?"

Emma released a startled yelp at the voice, almost falling over as her hold on the shoe she was trying to pull on fumbled.

"Oh, I just wanted to give you and Henry some time alone," she tried meekly, raised brows and an unimpressed look telling her that the woman wasn't fooled one bit.

"Trying to avoid me tearing into you, you mean," Regina told her with a knowing smirk before beckoning the sheriff to follow after her with a commanding "come."

Emma's shoulders sagged in defeat as she dropped the shoe and did as told, recognizing she couldn't avoid the woman's wrath any more than she could avoid the very uncomfortable conversation she would have to have with her parents.

"First thing tomorrow, you're telling our son the truth," Regina stated as soon as they were securely locked away from young ears in her private study.

"And what if I don't?" the blonde answered petulantly, finding it wholly unreasonable that the other woman could make things awkward for her, but she couldn't do the same in return.

The mayor's eyes flashed angrily at her defiance.

"Do you have any idea what a disaster this could create? Henry loves fairytales. He is probably imagining himself and his two moms living happily ever after together as we speak. What happens when he realizes it was all a lie, huh? When his perfect idea of his perfect family is crushed?"

Emma's face fell at the words, understanding and regret flooding her body. Regina was right of course. The last year spent with him and all the memories implanted in their minds – the ones she could hardly stop thinking about and longing for – should have made it obvious how the kid would react.

It had just been so much fun to watch Regina almost lose the lasagna when she informed their son that his parents were dating that she had completely ignored the pulling in her gut that had wanted her to think twice before spilling the lie. She had been so caught up in getting even with the brunette, watching her stutter and blush in her discomfort, that she had forgotten to take into account how Henry himself might actually react to what he thought was real.

"You're right, I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking," she offered apologetically, hoping to appease the furious woman.

"Of course you weren't, you're the spawn of the two idiots," Regina bit back viciously, not even feeling any guilt at the offended and hurt look she received for the barb.

"Don't worry, I'll fix it," Emma promised as she hung her head slightly and shuffled away like a kicked puppy.

Regina released a groan, annoyed at herself for actually feeling bad at the dejected departure of the Savior. Since when did she care about Emma Swan's _feelings_?

* * *

"I couldn't do it, I freaked out," Emma explained as soon as she barged through the office doors and closed it with a bang, startling Regina, her voice panicked.

The mayor cleared her throat and carefully laid down her pen, silently observing the distressed looking woman as she paced quickly back and forth, hands tugging at stray curls of her hair.

"I was going to tell him, I really was, but then he started telling me how excited he was for us and how it all actually made sense and I just couldn't bear to break his heart," she cried and she sounded so upset Regina actually felt bad for her.

"Emma, sit down," she commanded, half surprised when the woman actually did as requested, falling down in one of the uncomfortable visitor chairs and burying her face in her hands with a groan.

"This is turning into a disaster. What was I even thinking?"

"I thought we covered that one already," Regina quipped, smirking at the unimpressed look shot her way as the sheriff forced herself to calm down.

"Can't you just explain it to him?" Emma almost begged, voice whiny and hopeful all at once and the brunette's lips pursed in displeasure.

"Absolutely not. First of all, I'm not even sure he'd believe it coming from me. And second, I don't want to get the blame for your thoughtlessness. He's already hated me once and I don't want to go through that again."

The blonde sighed in defeat. She understood Regina's unwillingness perfectly. It was one of the very same reasons why she had chickened out herself. The realization that Henry might look at her with anger and betrayal; might not want to be around her anymore for her deceit. She had seen what it had done to Regina and the very idea of him acting even a little like that towards her was terrifying. It was one of her biggest fears since he got his real memories back; that he might not want or need her as much as she had come to want and need him. Because the fantasy of her being a great mom? That had all really been Regina hadn't it? There was no way the woman could create all those memories and events without embedding some of her own experiences.

"Waiting will only make it worse, Emma," the mayor offered softly, as if she knew what she was thinking.

And in a moment of insanity, the craziest idea popped into the blonde's mind.

"But what if we made the lie the truth?"

Regina looked at her, looked at her, and looked at her some more. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"Oh," Emma breathed when she realized what she'd actually said. "Oh, no, it was nothing," she tried to backtrack, but the brunette wasn't about to let her get out of it that easily.

"You really want us to be…together?"

"What, no, don't be ridiculous," the sheriff laughed out, regretting it almost immediately when Regina's face flushed with offence and hurt, before growing angry.

"Of course, because all those things you said at the diner only apply as long as it's not real, correct?"

"What? Oh my God, Regina, are we seriously going to argue over something that isn't even a possibility?" Emma exclaimed, sitting up straighter in the chair to be better prepared for whatever argument was about to happen. Would they _ever_ be able to have a normal conversation?

"Who says it's not?" the mayor shot back with a suggestive wink that threw the blonde. Seriously, that woman could do a one-eighty so fast it'd give you whiplash.

"Wait, what, you're not straight?"

One perfect eyebrow rose in amusement. "You are?"

Emma gaped. And gaped. And wet her lips. There was no way this was happening.

"I, uh, I need to go. There's…stuff. Sheriff stuff," she spluttered as she shot out of the uncomfortable chair and more or less fled the mayor's office, leaving a frowning, thoughtful and slightly confused brunette behind.

* * *

"Oh, Regina," Snow said in surprise when she opened the door to find the woman scowling at her.

"I need to speak to Emma," Regina replied tersely, annoyed that it had come to this. The last thing she had wanted was to have a confrontation with her former step-daughter. But Emma Swan, the coward, had hidden away at her former room-mate's, probably thinking Regina would avoid coming. And in all fairness it was a smart, albeit highly frustrating, move on the blonde's part because it was absolutely right. What Emma Swan had failed to take into account though, was that Regina Mills never shied away from doing what needed to be done, no matter how uncomfortable it was for her.

"Are you sure that's wise?" the pixie-haired woman asked and Regina released an impatient sigh as she ignored the woman and moved inside without an official invitation. It irked her that Snow probably assumed they'd had a fight and that Regina was somehow at fault, but there was no way she was going to bother explaining anything to the idiot.

Without so much as a backward glance, she walked with confident steps up the stairs, silently daring Snow to try and stop her. The woman remained dutifully silent; the only sound the one her heels were making against the wooden floor.

It was no surprise then, that green eyes were looking straight at her when she opened the door to the tiny bedroom regally before slamming it firmly shut. The way Emma was lying so casually on the bed, one hand curled behind her head, made Regina's irritation flare even further.

"We need to talk," she forced out with more calm and offhandedness than she really felt. The blonde simply arched a brow, making dark painted lips thin in aggravation.

"I don't want there to be any misunderstandings here," she continued curtly, glaring at Emma until the woman sighed and sat up on the bed, curling her feet under her and faking a posture of rapt attention that had Regina invisibly gritting her teeth.

"Yesterday, at the office, that was not me coming onto you. I was simply playing. And I trust that you have enough wit to keep whatever you think you might have learned about me private."

The sheriff cocked her head to the right and just stared at her. The look made Regina bristle inside, but years and years of hard learned lessons and experiences kept her from showing any kind of reaction on the outside. She would not let herself be unnerved by Emma Swan.

"Do you wanna go on a date?"

So much for that thought. Eyes widened in surprise at the wholly unexpected words. "Excuse me?"

Emma's eyes twinkled with amusement and something else. "I think I wanna take you on a date."

"I'm not sure I understand. Is there a reason we need to pretend to be on a date?"

The blonde grinned at the clearly confused woman. "No reason, no pretending."

Regina narrowed her eyes and folded her arms. "Is this you pulling my leg? Because I have to say, this is a bit too childish, even for you, Miss Swan."

The sheriff frowned for a moment before shaking it off, climbing from her position on the bed to stand in front of the other woman.

"Regina Mills, we have been at each other's throats for a year and we have made a freaking eclipse together to save our son. Everyone thinks – or will very soon – that we're already together. There's always been a kind of _thing_ between us and they say it's a fine line between love and hate. So why the hell not give it a shot?"

Dark eyes stared hard at lighter ones, trying to deem if this was some sort of trickery or joke at her expense. She seemed satisfied enough with what she found because she smirked suddenly at the blonde, standing slightly smaller than her without her usual boots on.

"Miss Swan, eloquent as always," Regina purred before turning briskly towards the door. Once it was open, she turned halfway back to look behind her with an amused glint in her eye. "Pick me up at 7 tomorrow. And do try to be on time for once."


	3. Amnesia

AN: Though it may read like it, this one does not actually assume Zelena didn't happen. More like this happens before everything on the show or is an alternative where Zelena isn't in any rush because she'd rather prepare and plan so nothing would go wrong. It's not perfect, but it's not like the show isn't full of plot-holes so just roll with it, okay?

Rated K.

Day 3 of SwanQueen Week Summer 2014: Amnesia

* * *

"You're in my seat."

Emma swiveled in the chair at the familiar stern voice she hadn't had the pleasure of hearing for over a year. "Huh?"

"I always sit in that seat."

"So find another seat, Regina, because I'm already sitting here," she teased with a smile that slowly faded at the look of genuine anger and bewilderment on smooth features. Hesitantly, the woman sat down in the neighboring seat, dark eyes boring into her.

"How do you know my name?"

Emma laughed. "Yeah, okay, good one," she offered, frowning when Regina continued to stare expectantly at her. "Are you serious?"

"Oh, Madame Mayor," Ruby exclaimed with fake cheerfulness - the blonde's order in her hands - just as Regina opened her mouth to offer a no doubt unpleasant retort.

"Ruby, what's going on?" Emma queried a little desperately, watching out of the corner of her eye how the brunette frowned thoughtfully at how she obviously knew the waitress.

"Oh," Ruby breathed in understanding when she took in Regina's tightly clenched jaw and hard eyes. "Come with me for a sec." Emma didn't need to be told twice, sliding out of her seat and following the scantily clad woman as soon as she'd deposited the burgers on the counter.

"Why is Regina acting weird?" she whisper-shouted as soon as they were out of hearing distance.

"I'm sorry, I just assumed you'd talked to David and Snow."

"Talked about what exactly? Why is Regina acting like…like-"

"Like before," Ruby supplied helpfully at the look of utter confusion and annoyance on her friend's face. "That would be because currently she doesn't remember anything other than being the mayor."

Emma frowned in confusion. "But everyone else remembers who they are, why doesn't she?"

"We're not sure, but we suspect it's because of the recasting of the curse. It was designed so none of us remembered who we were, but Regina did. But this time Regina wasn't the caster so it makes sense that it would work in reverse."

"Seriously?" Emma squeaked in disbelief. "You're telling me I have to deal with Madame Mayor now?"

"Until we figure out a way to break it, we all have to."

"Jesus," Emma whispered to herself, one hand running through her blonde hair in frustration. Regina as the mayor had never liked her. They'd always been at each other's throats, fighting over Henry. Oh God, what about the kid?

"Wait, does she remember that Henry is her son?"

"I don't know." Ruby replied just as the boy in question walked out of the men's room and looked around the diner, freezing when he spotted Regina.

"Mom?" he questioned, a wide grin breaking out on his face. "Mom!"

Emma watched in horror as Regina turned curiously in her seat – the one she'd been sitting in before she got up to follow Ruby – just in time for her to be wrapped into a tight hug by the delighted kid. There was no recognition in dark eyes, just a shocked look, closely followed by her lips thinning in a way Emma associated with being slightly appalled.

"Hey, kid!" she called loudly, striding towards them quickly so she could pull Henry against her protectively when he let go of Regina with eyes full of confusion and hurt.

"Is this your son?" Regina asked politely, smile tight and voice a little strained.

"Yes, I'm sorry. He's just tired after a long drive," Emma was quick to supply, trying to avoid any hurtful words from being offered.

"So tired he confuses me for his mother whom I look nothing alike?" the woman asked with a raised brow at the blonde.

"Ma, what's going on?" Henry asked desperately, looking as his birth mother desperately as she clutched him tightly to her.

"It was just a misunderstanding," Emma explained to Regina, giving the kid a 'later, just play it cool' look.

"Right, I thought you were familiar is all," Henry added with a slight frown, clearly not happy.

"So you know someone in town then? Or are you just passing through?" Regina hinted heavily, looking expectantly from one to the other.

"We know some people", the blonde reluctantly informed, wincing at the look of judgment and disapproval on the woman's face when the kid half-heartedly informed her that it was Mary Margaret and David. Apparently the new curse hadn't removed the animosity Regina felt towards her parents.

* * *

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Emma seethed, shooting looks of disapproval at David and Snow. "You just conveniently forgot to warn us that Regina doesn't remember a single thing?"

"Emma, honey, we haven't seen you for a year and there was a lot to talk about." Snow offered sweetly as an explanation, but it did nothing to appease the blonde.

"Well, it was a pretty big fucking change wasn't it?" she gritted out, ignoring the disapproving looks at her language. "Did you even think for a second how this could hurt Henry? Regina didn't fucking know who he was when he ran to her. How do you think he feels, knowing that the woman who raised him for ten years doesn't even recognize him?"

Both her parents looked ashamed at her angry outburst.

"You're right. We should have informed you, it was selfish," David agreed with a soft smile. It reminded Emma why she sometimes couldn't stand to be in the same room as her parents. She loved them, she really did, but because they were fairy-tale characters and considered the good ones, they always assumed all they had to do was apologize and everything would be okay. What about actually learning from their mistakes to keep them from happening again? It shouldn't surprise her really. Almost every character from Disney was a little…short. Oh God, why had that thought sounded like Regina in her head? No, no way, she was not gonna feel guilty for her thoughts when it was her parents who were at fault here.

"We need to break the curse. Henry is devastated that his mom doesn't remember him."

"Oh, we've tried," Snow piped up quickly, recognizing a way to get them off the hook. "People aren't very happy having to act around Regina. We've tried talking to Gold and Blue, but they always come back to True Love."

Emma released a heavy sigh. "Great, so we have to find Regina's True Love? How are we gonna do that?"

Snow grew a little more somber. "Regina thinks her True Love was Daniel and he's…well, he's dead."

"This just keeps getting better and better," the blonde growled.

"Tinkerbell told us she'd used pixie dust before the first curse happened to find Regina's soul mate."

Emma frowned in confusion. "So, like, a second True Love?"

"Not exactly. Maybe. We don't really know," David interjected before Snow continued.

"Anyway, turns out it was Robin Hood who-"

"Whoa, whoa, hold up, as in '_steal from the rich, give to the poor_' Robin Hood?"

Snow rolled her eyes at her daughter, but nodded excitedly before furrowing her brows slightly. "Unfortunately, Regina doesn't seem all that taken with him and he refuses to kiss a woman without her consent."

Emma snorted, not the least bit surprised Regina couldn't stand the man. If he was anything like any of the movies, he was no doubt not the woman's type. Too slick and too good. She had to hold back a laugh at the thought of anyone trying to convince Regina to live in the woods. Also, did True Love even work if one half or both didn't feel love towards the other person?

"Well, there has to be another way, right? A potion or something, like the one Hook gave us to remember."

Snow looked thoughtful for a moment. "If there is, the only ones who would know anything are Gold or Regina. Gold won't tell us and I doubt you or anyone could convince Regina she is the Evil Queen without risking her locking us all away as lunatics."

"That's great," Emma announced with fake cheerfulness, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "I'll try talking to Gold," she added with a sigh.

* * *

"Ah, Miss Swan, what may I do for you on this fine day?"

Emma glared at him, unimpressed with his theatrics. "A way to get Regina to remember," she told him, in no mood for beating around the bush.

"Had a run in with the mayor then have you? One would think most people preferred her this way instead of as the illustrious Evil Queen," he said with a small cackle that made the blonde scowl.

"I prefer her as Regina, and so does our son."

"Ah, young Henry, yes. Well, dearie, as you no doubt already know, I've told your parents what every person knows. True Love's kiss can break any curse."

"And she doesn't have one that's alive, so we both know there has to be another way."

"I'm afraid there isn't, dearie," he offered with an amused smile. "Unless you want to make yourself an orphan again."

"What?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Rumple said sounding anything but, "did your esteemed parents omit the fact they were the ones who cast the new curse? The curse can of course be broken by the death of the Savior or the caster."

Emma barely refrained from punching the gleeful look off his face.

* * *

"Henry, I need to talk to you about something," Emma stated somberly, sitting him down in a chair and fiddling nervously with a loose thread on her top.

"Did someone die? What's wrong?" the kid rushed out in a panic and the blonde quickly moved to placate him.

"It's nothing like that, but it's about your mom."

"You mean about why she doesn't remember me? It's a curse, right? How do we break it?"

Emma sighed. He had always been smart – even though he oftentimes saw things as black or white, like most kids do – and she didn't want to potentially hurt her son, but she couldn't lie and give him false hope either. Why did parenting have to be so damn hard?

"It's…complicated, Henry. The truth is that we don't know if it can be broken."

The boys face fell at her words. "So she might never remember me?"

It hurt, the way his voice was suddenly so small and young as he tried to imagine the woman he'd grown up with not having any recollection of any of it.

"It's…a possibility. But it doesn't mean you can't try to make new memories," Emma was quick to amend when it looked like he might actually begin to cry. "I mean, it could be like an operation, getting to know Regina as, well, Regina, and not just your mom."

Henry sniffled once as he thought on what his blonde mother was suggesting. "So I can try to make her like me and spend time with me while we try to figure out a way to break the curse?" he asked with uncertain hope in his voice.

"Yeah," Emma promised, hoping that this new – old – Regina was as open to children as the real one. Henry would be crushed if she didn't take to him. But she had chosen to adopt him and fallen in love with him before, so she had to again, right?

* * *

"Is this seat taken?"

Regina looked up from the newspaper she was half-reading to find hopeful hazel eyes staring at her. She looked around for the rude blonde woman who was apparently his mother – seeing no sign of her – and gave a curt nod.

"Where's your mother? Should you really be wandering around alone?"

Henry grinned. "I'm waiting for her to come pick me up. And I'm almost thirteen so I think it's okay."

"I see," Regina replied with a slight upturn at the corners of her lips. "Are you planning to stay long in town?"

"Possibly. Mom has work here that needs to be done, and then I guess we'll see after that."

Regina furrowed her brows at the less than delightful news. New people in a small town like this were never good. It only ever resulted in trouble that she'd be left to deal with once the visitors left.

"What kind of work does she do?"

"She finds people mostly."

Regina's lips thinned. "I don't think there's anyone in this town that needs finding."

"There are always people who are lost," Henry offered with a shrug just as the diner door opened and Emma walked in, scanning the room for her son. Her eyes widened when she saw him sitting with Regina.

"Hey kid, you're not bothering the mayor, are you?" she offered with a half-smile once she'd shuffled over.

"Don't worry, he's very well mannered. Unlike certain people," Regina hinted with a haughty sniff, causing the blonde to frown and Henry to snort silently in amusement.

"Okay, well, good. You ready to go?" she asked the kid, giving him a silent glare for daring to take Regina's side when she was being mocked.

He shrugged and wiggled out of the booth, turning to face the mayor with a bright smile. "It was nice talking to you."

Regina straightened in her seat as she offered her hand and said, "Forgive me, I completely forgot to ask your name."

"I'm Henry," he exclaimed happily as he shook her hand firmly and perhaps a little too vigorously.

"My father's name was Henry," Regina mused briefly before she gave him a genuine smile. "Well, it was very nice to meet you, Henry. My name is Regina."

"I know," he answered before releasing her hand and practically running towards the door, Emma offering her a sheepish, apologetic smile before hurrying after him, leaving a frowning and thoughtful mayor alone once more.

* * *

Henry had too much free time here in Storybrooke, Emma decided, when she received the third call in one week asking her to pick him up at the mayor's house. She was happy all things considered. He had obviously managed to get in Regina's good graces, but Emma however had not been so lucky. Regina looked none too impressed whenever she saw her and to top it off she'd had no success trying to find an alternate way to break the curse.

"Hey, you ready to go?" she asked, thumbs hooked in her pockets as she tried to appear aloof, when Henry and Regina opened the door.

"Aww, no, we can't go yet." Henry whined immediately. "We haven't had time to eat dessert."

Emma gave him a stern and slightly suspicious look. He was the one who called her and requested she come get him after all. The kid seemed to read her mind.

"I didn't think you'd get here so fast."

Emma eyed Henry skeptically. Henry looked hopefully at Regina. Regina's lips thinned and she shifted slightly as she looked at Emma and made a decision.

"Miss Swan, how would you like a glass of the best apple cider you've ever tasted?"

Emma grinned at the phrase and raised a brow. "Got anything stronger?"

* * *

"You really shouldn't fault me for my acquaintances," Emma offered as she sipped at her third glass of Regina's apple homebrew.

Henry was conked out on the living room couch after stuffing himself with apple turnovers – "it's always been one of mom's specialties and we know she's not trying to poison anyone now," he'd whispered to her before helping himself to plenty – so Regina had suggested they move to her private study instead as to not disturb him.

Regina hummed non-committedly and sipped at her glass.

"I mean, you seem to like the kid well enough and it's not like I'm anything like Mary-Margaret."

The mayor pursed her lips and gave the blonde a once over. "Well, I guess you must have done something right since Henry is the way he is, but we'll see."

Emma tried her best to hide her wince behind taking a sip of her drink. If only Regina knew how true those words were, the only fault that she should have been directing it at herself, not her.

"I should get the kid home and into a bed," she announced, draining the rest of her glass and standing abruptly.

"Of course," Regina replied, standing primly herself and offering a smile that wasn't genuine enough to reach her eyes.

"Um, we could try a do-over," the blonde said, fidgeting, "you know, dinner or something, the three of us, get to know each other?"

Regina's brows rose and Emma got the distinct impression the woman was trying to ascertain if this was a come on. Which, of course it wasn't. Even though she had to admit that it _may_ have sounded like one.

"I'll let you know," the mayor finally replied, face carefully masked.

* * *

"Oh God, I've missed this," Emma hummed, eyes closing in delight and lips smacking loudly together as she swallowed her first bite of lasagna.

"What?" Regina queried sharply, eyes narrowing in suspicion while the blonde's grew wide with realization.

"Oh, uh, just you know, a real homecooked meal," she fumbled, trying for a sheepish smile as she quickly stuffed another bite into her mouth, grimacing when it burned her palate.

"Ow," Emma whined as she reached for her glass of water and gulped big mouthfuls of it. If this had been before the second curse, Henry would be laughing at her and Regina mocking her, but since the woman didn't actually have any memories of them the room remained uncomfortably silent; the mayor regarding her closely and tension rising quickly.

"Mom's not exactly a great cook," Henry offered, shooting a mocking smile at his blonde mother, recognizing the danger they were in and hoping to diffuse a possible disastrous outcome. "There's been incidents when she's tried." It wasn't technically a lie. Emma _had_ been a terrible cook before New York. But Regina had clearly given her the necessary knowledge and skills when she gave them new memories and now that they had both the new and the old ones, his birth mom was still pretty good at it.

"I see," Regina replied with a small quirk of her lips, but there was still suspicion in her eyes.

"And I haven't had lasagna in a long time and it's my favorite," the blonde offered, hoping to appease the woman.

"Mine too," Henry added with a grin that could do nothing but bring a pleased smirk to painted lips; Emma silently letting out a breath of relief at a crisis successfully averted.

* * *

It was a little scary how easily things seemed to fall into place between them. Regina being cursed was always in the back of their minds because they had to make sure they didn't accidentally reveal something that could give them away, like Henry being her son, but other than that it was just like before they were separated. Henry spent many hours with Regina – learning to ride a horse, learning to cook, having movie nights in the mini-theater she had downstairs – and the time spent with Emma consisted of snark thrown back and forth, but this time offered playfully instead of meant to hurt.

But behind all the time spent in apparent contentment, there was a tension building. It was a tension of uncertainty and frustration. Henry got more and more restless as time went by and they got no closer to breaking his mom's curse. And Emma grew wary of the ease with which she and Regina seemed to connect, slowly creating routines that she realized she associated with the word 'family.'

* * *

"Are you still living at the bed and breakfast?" Regina asked Henry curiously while carefully watching him cutting vegetables. He'd complained when she insisted calling his mom to ask if it was okay for him to wield something so sharp.

"I'm _thirteen_," he'd proclaimed loudly, shooting her a look of gross disappointment. "A_nd you're my mom too," _had been on the tip of his tongue, but he'd managed to stop himself in time.

"Of course you are," Regina had replied with an amused smile, patting his cheek in a way he was pretty sure was mocking, before she had moved to pick up her phone and make the call.

"Yeah, we are. I've heard her discussing us moving in with Mary Margaret again."

Regina quirked a brow in interest. "Again?"

"Oh, uh," he tried to think of something that wouldn't give away his slip. "They were room-mates before, like, a really long time ago, I think."

"I see," she replied, brows furrowing slightly in thought, and Henry had to fight the urge to fidget nervously.

"I think it's because of money," he offered. Wasn't that what grown-ups always talked about and used as an excuse? Regina certainly nodded as if it made sense and he released a relived breath when she dropped the subject.

* * *

"Hey," Emma whispered as she carefully handed the glass of wine to Regina who had Henry curled up against her, fast asleep, fingers running softly through his slightly unkempt hair and humming lowly.

"Thank you," the woman replied with a relaxed smile, sipping it gingerly and smacking her lips in appreciation of the taste. She rolled her head so she could look fully at the blonde, tongue snaking out to wet her lips and remove any traces of the wine. And then she breathed four words that took them both by surprise. "Move in with me."

"What?" Emma exclaimed, wincing when Henry stirred, groaning and shifting slightly, before settling down against Regina again with a soft sigh.

"Why not?" the mayor whispered back. "You're here most of the time anyway, you still haven't gotten a place in town and I have more than enough space. It would save you a lot of money."

The hope shining in dark orbs made Emma's breath catch in her throat, and before she could stop and think she leaned over to press her lips gingerly against redder ones, taking them both by surprise, but at the same time not. The tension between them the past few weeks had really just been building up to this moment where it felt like a perfectly natural thing for her to do.

When she pulled away, Regina was smiling at her with so much happiness and careful optimism it made her heart hurt at what she knew she had to do.

"We need to talk."

Regina's smile slowly fell away at the blonde's grave tone.

* * *

She tried to tell Regina everything. How they were all characters from another land, how she had cursed them all because she was unhappy, how she'd been sent away because she was predestined to break her curse. She told her how Regina had adopted her son and raised him for ten years before he came to find her. How they had to save him from Peter Pan who turned out to not be a nice boy like in the Disney movie.

And there was shouting. So much shouting. Regina refused to believe her, asking why she would say such things, if she had just wanted to get her to trust the blonde so she could hurt her, play her. There was so much anger and hurt.

The screaming woke Henry who came running and Regina pleaded for him to tell her that this, them, hadn't been a lie. And when he confirmed Emma's story she cried.

She cried and she clutched him tightly to her and asked why, why would they do this to her when she was finally happy and was starting to love them?

"Because we love you too and we want you back," he told her firmly, and then tilted his head – because he was almost as tall as her now – and kissed her cheek.

The wave of magic flowing outwards forced Emma to take a step backwards, but even as she steadied herself she was grinning like a maniac because Henry had done it. He had broken the curse with True Love's kiss and the shock and anger and a dozen other emotions swirling in dark eyes was _their_ Regina.

Emma smiled as the woman crushed Henry against her, kissing the crown of his head and his cheek and his forehead. She smiled even as Regina stalked over to her and slapped her.

"That's for deceiving me and taking advantage."

And she laughed when the woman pulled her close by her shirt and fused their lips together.


	4. Accidental Stimulation

Rated K+.

* * *

"Hey, are you okay?" Emma asks concerned, the magic flowing through her fingers disappearing quickly as a weird look she can't figure out overcomes Regina's features, her whole body suddenly going rigid.

Zelena has been defeated, but because of Henry – and her parents, and Regina, but mostly just Henry – there's no going back to New York for her for a while, maybe ever, and since magic still exists and Storybrooke is essentially just made up of fairy tale characters, she and Regina have agreed that magic lessons should probably be continued. Just in case.

Thankfully, Regina had agreed to take it a little more slowly this time, not just throw the blonde head first into an 'find your magic or die' kind of lesson. Which, you know, in the short term worked pretty well, but for the long term Emma had no doubt it would make her into a paranoid, nervous wreck. Or possibly, probably, end up actually killing her.

"I'm fine," Regina provides, but her voice sounds tight and almost gravelly, causing brows to furrow as Emma tries to figure out if this is one of those times where she should push further or just drop it. It's so hard to know with Regina these days. Of course, the woman has always been a walking contradiction; patient and open one day, only to act like a ticking time bomb the next. But since her last relative apparently upped and killed herself – and Emma ruined her chance at a happy ending by saving Marian and bringing her back, but they're not talking about that – she's been even more prone to massive mood swings.

All in all, pretty much everyone is tiptoeing around her, not wishing to be the one to set the unstable former Evil Queen off. Come to think of it, everyone walking on eggshells around her probably didn't exactly help the situation. It would have pretty much done the opposite if Emma was in her shoes.

"Was I not doing it right?"

Regina's posture relaxes slightly as she releases a silent breath. "It's fine," she repeats, and this time the blonde finds nothing but honesty in her words and face. "I think we should call it a day. I'm sure you have other things you should be doing, we don't want to tire you out."

"Oh, okay," Emma replies even though she doesn't really have anything specific on the agenda other than lessons with Regina and she's not feeling tired at all, but she knows a dismissal when she hears one and if the woman needs some time to herself, she's not gonna be the one to ruin it for her. She's done taking things from Regina. She hopes. But they're not talking about that.

* * *

"Stop! You need to stop that," Regina growls and Emma jumps in surprise at the tense voice, magic fizzling out and the book she'd been levitating falls to the ground with a thump. When she looks over, Regina is all rigid again, face tight, almost like a grimace.

"Stop what? You're the one who told me to float the book. Are you okay?"

When she moves to take a step towards the highly strung mayor, Regina takes a quick step away from her followed by a warning glare not to come any closer. Emma frowns, confused and a little hurt, because even though she fucked up, they've always found a strange sort of comfort in each other and she doesn't want that to change. The last thing she wants is for them to go back to being adversaries, arguing and trying to find ways to hurt the other.

"Regina, what's going on? You've been acting weird these past lessons."

"Oh please, it's not like you don't know," Regina spits out angrily and the blonde feels her own hackles rise at this animosity coming from out of nowhere.

"What? What am I supposed to know?" she asks frustrated, unable to keep her voice from rising slightly in defense.

"Is this some sort of sick game to you? Because I might have expected it from you two years ago, but now-"

"What game, Regina? What the fuck are you going on about?" Emma exclaims angrily, whatever little patience she usually possesses gone at the woman obviously accusing her of something, even though she has no idea what it is or why.

Regina looks surprised at the blonde's outburst, eyes narrowing suspiciously as she takes in the angry lines on her face and her defensive posture. "You're really not doing it on purpose?"

Emma wants to scream with frustration. "Doing _what?_ I have no idea what it is you think I've done to you and you're not making any sense."

She can't be sure, but she thinks dark eyes soften slightly as the tension drains away from the woman's body.

"It's nothing. I apologize for my assumption," Regina offers neutrally and it makes the blonde want to tear at her hair and demand to know what's going on with the woman lately, to figure out why she's acting so weird and avoiding her as much as she can. Because as much as Regina is very good at making it appear natural and inconspicuous, Emma has definitely noticed that she's being avoided, even if no one else has picked up on it.

There have been unusually many reasons for the woman to have to postpone their lessons, sometimes even going so far as to include avoidance of spending any time in close facilities with each other. Dinners with the three of them, Regina, Emma and Henry, have been scarce. And when they have happened, Regina's been tense the whole time, like she's waiting for something to happen, shying away from Emma at all costs, as if she's afraid of them getting too close to each other.

"I think we're done for today," Regina announces and Emma automatically moves to protest. They need to talk about whatever is happening; the woman can't avoid her forever when she clearly thinks the blonde is doing something to her.

Regina shoots her down quickly though, and when she stubbornly refuses to move, the woman simply poofs her away.

* * *

It's 2 a.m. and she's had eight beers – she thinks, but can't be sure since she should probably have stopped at five – when Emma realizes that Regina has only been reacting to whatever she thinks the blonde is doing during their lessons. Which has to mean that it's her magic that's doing something to Regina. She barely manages to stifle her victory cry at the revelation, remembering just in time that Henry is sleeping – it's her week with him – and goes to put on her boots.

She's on her way out the door when she checks that she has her phone with her and sees what time it is, cursing silently when she realizes she can't go to Regina's now or the woman will kill her. With a pout she forces herself back inside, telling herself that she really should go to bed now anyway and that she can confront the woman tomorrow. Or test her theory about her magic, her not entirely sober mind supplies helpfully, bringing a wicked grin to her lips as she crawls into bed and snuggles under the covers.

* * *

Emma hides in the diner, away from Regina's watchful eyes, and focuses as hard as she can on summoning her cup of coffee while simultaneously keeping an eye on the woman. At first nothing happens – which isn't a surprise because usually she is actually looking at the object she wants to manipulate – but when the telltale tingling of her magic starts prickling up her arm and into her fingers, she sees the change immediately.

Regina's body goes rigid, her lips parting and her eyes growing slightly unfocused, before her whole face grows hard and angry and she starts scanning the crowd. Emma tries to make herself as small as possible to avoid those dark eyes, but isn't at all surprised when they find her and a thunderous look appears. Then the woman is stalking towards her and she has to force herself to stay calm and not flee like her pounding heart tells her to.

"Miss Swan, a word!" Regina grits out and it's not a request, but a command that the blonde knows better than to ignore, hanging her head to appear contrite as she follows dutifully to a secluded hallway.

"If you wish to continue trying to learn to control your magic, you'll do well to stop what you're doing right now," Regina informs her sternly, wasting no time once she's made sure no one is within hearing distance.

"I don't know-"

"Oh, save it," the woman growls warningly. "You may have been clueless yesterday, but I know you did it on purpose now, and I'm telling you right now, _stop it_."

Emma bites her lip and tries to keep her mouth shut, lasting all of two seconds before her curiosity gets the better of her and she blurts out, "Why do you react to my magic? What does it do to you?"

Regina purses her lips and crosses her arms. "I don't know and it's none of your concern."

The blonde's bullshit detector sort of pings which means it's not wholly true. It drives her nuts that no one in this damn town seems willing to ever just tell her what she asks, always trying to find a way around it, telling only parts of the story, only confusing her further by talking all cryptic and in riddles and shit. Goddamn fairy tale characters.

"Right, so maybe I should go ask Gold then? Or Mother Superior? I'm sure they'll know something," she tells Regina with a pointed look, the woman sending her a glare of huge proportions at the hidden threat. Emma's never liked going to either of the two other magic practitioners for answers because they're sketchy as hell, but even so, they're both aware that Regina hates it even more. Regina doesn't want anyone sticking their nose in her business – or having any kind of knowledge or leverage against her – and Emma wholly agrees, but she wants answers and if the woman isn't willing to give them to her…well, then she has no qualms about getting them elsewhere.

"Look," Regina grits out, lowering her voice and taking a step closer to the blonde to assure no one can hear, "I honestly don't know why your magic seems to affect me whenever we're close, but it doesn't seem to be doing any harm and I can handle it."

"Are you sure?" Emma whispers back. "Maybe we should ask someone because the last thing I wanna do is hurt you-" she barely manages to stop herself from adding the '_again.' _Regina has made it perfectly clear that she prefers to pretend like Emma didn't pull a Snow on her and the blondeis too much of a coward to own up to it. Better to get the silent treatment than go back to how they were before the curse broke.

"What happens to you anyway if it doesn't hurt you? You always go rigid and get this weird look on your face," she continues thoughtfully, eyes widening in surprise when Regina actually looks away from her as if she's uncomfortable. And damn if that doesn't pique her interest.

"That's not your concern," the woman snaps, gesturing that the conversation is over. Emma isn't about to let her get away that easily though and she quickly grabs hold of Regina's arm.

"It kind of is because you're avoiding me and it's starting to affect our kid. And you can't even look me in the eye."

Emma knows it's sheer petulance that makes the woman force their eyes to meet, but that doesn't alter Regina's previous reaction.

"Are you really going to make me guess? Or maybe I should keep using my magic and see what happens since you're so adamant that it's not harmful."

Dark eyes widen in slight panic at the threat, promise, whatever the hell it is. "You wouldn't."

No, she wouldn't because she's already in the dog house and she'd never knowingly force the woman to reveal something she clearly doesn't want to and risk hurting her again. But Regina doesn't have to know that.

"You're unbelievable," Regina hisses when Emma stays silent, simply continuing to look at her as if she's waiting for her to start talking. "How many times have you attacked and accused me for my trickery and manipulations? And now that it suits you, you go and do the exact same thing?"

Emma hopes her guilty flinch isn't visible, knowing full well that it's all true and she's being a hypocrite. But that doesn't change the fact that she wants to - no, needs to – know what the hell is going on with her magic and Regina.

"Fine, you want to know what your magic does?" Regina sneers at the blonde and Emma has to force herself to not take a defensive step back at the hostility that reminds her of the many confrontations they've had before. "It tries to stimulate." She wrenches her arm out of the sheriff's hold and pushes aggressively past her.

* * *

"Stimulate what?" Emma queries impatiently as soon as the door to 108 Mifflin Street swings open. It's late, Henry is asleep and she should be too, but the conversation – more like confrontation – in the diner is all she's been able to think about the whole day. She's tried to come up with every possible meaning for the word Regina used to describe what happens, but her mind keeps coming back to one possibility. And that just can't be correct, can it?

"Don't you ever give up?" Regina growls, but nevertheless she steps aside to let the fidgety blonde in.

"You know I don't," Emma replies with a half grin and a shrug as she toes off her boots, ignoring the woman's look of displeasure when she realizes Emma isn't about to go anywhere for a while.

"Stimulate what?" she asks again as soon as Regina has poured her a glass of cider and handed it over and the woman sighs.

"Haven't you figured that out yet?"

Emma frowns at the slight mocking in Regina's tone, but decides to let it go for now. It's the woman's defense mechanism and she can't blame her if they're really about to talk about what she thinks they're about to talk about. She sips at the drink gingerly.

"Well, you see, I've been going over it and over it in my head, but I can only find one logical explanation, but I don't wanna jump to conclusions here."

"How very unlike you," Regina sasses before draining her own glass in one go. "Also, you're probably correct for once." The blonde has to fight the urge to stick her tongue out, recognizing that that level of childishness probably isn't going to help disprove the woman's claim.

"But why would my magic do that? It's not like I'm thinking about…you know," Emma offers, feeling suddenly bashful.

"As I've stated previously, repeatedly, _I don't know_. It's not exactly a common occurrence since I've never heard of it and I couldn't find anything about it in any books."

"Right," the blonde breathes, nodding her head before gulping down all of her own drink. "So, like, what exactly do I make you feel?"

Regina's glare screams 'Are you fucking kidding me right now', and the blonde feels her ears heating up. Thank God they're covered by her hair so the woman doesn't see.

"I mean, not that I'm interested or anything, it's just, if I knew maybe I could try to not do it…or something," she tries to amend, and shit, she can feel the blush start to spread to her cheeks. "You know what, never mind. I'm just gonna go now."

She has almost reached her shoes when the amused calling of her name stops her in her tracks.

"Yeah?" the blonde asks uncertainly as she slowly turns around to face the smirking woman, not sure she actually wants to hear what comes next.

"Would you like me to show you?"

And Emma's knees grow weak.


	5. Caregiving

Rated T.

* * *

"Miss Swan, I need your help."

That's all she hears before the line gets disconnected. No time for her to even think about a reply, just the formal version of her name and those ominous four words she's only heard thrice from Regina before, followed by a silent line.

She briefly considers ignoring the call – Regina is the one being rude after all – but pushes it away quickly since experience has taught her that this is not a random call for a social visit. Regina isn't the type of person to ask for help if there was a way she could manage on her own.

"Where are you going?" Henry asks because it's really late but even immersed in his DS he can't help but notice when his mom goes to throw on her red leather jacket, only to reevaluate the choice and take the blue one instead.

"To Regi- the mayor's. She called and said she needed my help."

Henry just shrugs, like it's totally normal for her to come to a woman's rescue in the wee hours of the night, and Emma files it away as a thing they might have to discuss. She doesn't want him to feel neglected or get any strange ideas into his head. She throws a sloppy kiss on his head and grabs her keys before she disappears through the door of their rented room. When she reemerges 20 seconds later, shrugging off the jacket to pick up the red one again, the kid simply arches a brow at her before quickly getting back to his game.

* * *

"Is everything okay?" are the first words out of her mouth when the mansion door opens slowly because it took an unusually long time for the woman to answer and she's standing funny, like she's unable to stand up straight, and she looks so damn small without her heels.

"Would I call you if it were?" Regina snaps back, her body moving to fix her posture on auto-pilot, and Emma is fairly certain there's an actual grimace on the woman's flawless face. And why the hell is Regina in pain?

"What do you need?" she asks without her usual sarcasm because if whatever has happened manages to draw such a look from a world class concealer, it has to be serious.

"It's just a minor inconvenience really," Regina is quick to reassure, but the way she refuses to move and instead motions for the blonde to come inside, has her narrowing her eyes in suspicion. A suspicion that is confirmed when she turns around just as the woman is gingerly closing the door.

"Jesus, what's happened to you?" Emma gasps when she realizes Regina's black shirt is full of small rips and tears, looking wet and sticky, and oh God it's blood, she knows it is. Concern quickly floods her cells. "_This_ is what you call a minor inconvenience? Why the hell aren't you at the hospital, Regina?" she yells angrily. Goddamn stubborn woman.

"Relax, Emma, it's hardly as bad as you're making it out to be," Regina tries to argue, but she can't hide the wince of pain when she spins to face the blonde's accusing glare, causing an uncomfortable pull at her torn back.

"Oh yeah," Emma shoots back disbelievingly, "tell that to your bleeding back."

Regina looks like she's swaying dangerously on her feet for a moment and the blonde's hand shoot out automatically to steady her, drawing back quickly at the scowl it earns her. Clearly that's not the kind of help the woman meant when she called.

"If not the hospital, why haven't you healed it with magic?" she queries instead to fill the tense silence between them. The glare she receives this time makes her glad looks can't actually kill or she'd be a pile of ash on the ground right now.

Regina doesn't bother with a reply, simply tries to move smoothly past her, and Emma wonders how she managed to miss the way the woman is heavily favoring her left leg.

"Regina-"

"I can't heal it myself," Regina snaps angrily. "Healing is complicated and I can't see what I'm doing properly. Most likely I'd just end up making it worse." The frustration and self-loathing is pouring off the woman in waves and Emma swallows tightly.

"You-you want _me_ to help you with magic when…when _you_ can't even do it?" There's no way this doesn't end in disaster.

"It's hardly rocket science, Emma," Regina replies, doing a poor job of masking her irritation at the situation she's been forced into.

"Oh, okay," the blonde breathes because they've reached Regina's bathroom and she's never been in here before and it's a fucking sight, but furthermore what else can she say? It's not like she's the one all good at magic and shit and if the woman refuses to go to the hospital she has to try right?

"What do you need me to do?" Emma asks, unable to tear her eyes away from the luxurious interior and Regina sighs, clearly unimpressed by her awe.

"First, I need you to remove my shirt," she informs promptly, voice taking on a tone that means all business. "You'll find a fully stacked first-aid kit under the sink. There will be a pair of scissors in there."

"I'm cutting it off?" Emma asks perplexed, finding it hard to believe the woman would willingly allow her to destroy one of her no doubt ridiculously expensive articles of clothing. In fact, it's a little frightening because she wouldn't put it past Regina to later demand she pay for the ruined shirt.

"Does it look like I'm able to get it off any other way?" Regina barks at her and the blonde has to nod her agreement. It actually looks more likely that the woman will pass out. Normally bronze skin has taken on an almost sickly pale tone.

"Right, scissors, off with the shirt," Emma recounts to herself as she quickly moves around and opens the cabinet under the sink and finds exactly what Regina said she would.

"You're sure about this?" she asks once she has the sharp tool in her hand, ready to be used. Better to make sure she has permission one last time than end up with a fireball in her hair.

"_Miss Swan_," Regina grits out through clenched teeth and the blonde hasn't heard her that angry at her for quite some time.

"Okay, here goes."

She makes one clean cut all the way from the bottom and up, apologizing profusely when Regina hisses in pain as she tries to pull the material away as carefully as she can. She's proud of herself when all she makes is a guttural sound in the back of her throat when she sees the litany of cuts that mars what she has no doubt is usually perfect skin.

Most of the wounds are shallow, but a few are deep enough to have small pieces of glass embedded in them, and with a start she realizes that this is all from Regina's fight with Zelena earlier. That also means Regina has been suffering like this for close to five hours before she caved and called Emma for help.

The urge to yell at the woman for being so damn proud and not taking care of herself flares up again. What kind of sane person would force themselves to endure such pain for so long? She orders herself to stay calm and focus on what she can do to make it better since getting angry at Regina will only be a waste of time and result in an unnecessary prolonging of the woman's suffering.

"What now?"

"Is there glass?"

"Yeah," Emma breathes, throat closing up as she blinks rapidly to keep her eyes clear so she can do her job.

"It would be less painful if you could remove them with magic, but if you can't, there's a pair of tweezers in the kit." Regina's voice is strained and the blonde is struck again with the uneasy feeling that the woman might just faint.

"How do I do it with magic?" Emma asks with a slight tremble in her voice that they both ignore, because the thought of removing the pieces one at a time and causing Regina so much discomfort makes her queasy.

"I imagine as with everything else where your magic is concerned," Regina grits out and the blonde almost thinks she detects a hint of envy in her voice, like she has it so easy. "You just have to want it enough. Will it to happen and it should."

Emma nods, not sure the woman even sees it in the mirror. Want it. That shouldn't be too hard. She really doesn't wish for Regina to be in so much pain. Want it and it will happen. She wants the woman's skin to go back to being flawless.

"Any moment now would be great, Miss Swan," Regina announces, her voice oddly strained, and when Emma looks away from her staring contest with the woman's bloodied back she realizes Regina is leaning heavily against the sink, features almost a ghostly shade now.

_Oh shit_, is all she has time to think before the woman sags and her body starts falling quickly towards the hard floor. Emma manages to catch her just in time, balancing awkwardly and precariously for a moment before the dead weight forces her to the ground as she loses her battle with gravity.

* * *

"What happened?" Regina breathes out groggily as she slowly returns to the land of the conscious. Blonde hair pops into her blurry vision as something cold and wet is pressed gingerly against her forehead.

"I'm pretty sure you fainted because of blood loss," Emma offers the groaning woman who blinks rapidly to try and clear her eyes and head. "You're too stubborn for your own good, Madame Mayor," she offers with a half grin though her voice is a little tense.

"I'm still alive, aren't I?" Regina replies, echoing her words from earlier that night and earning her an exasperated sigh.

"Only because you realized you needed help and called me."

Regina obviously chooses to ignore the comment and the slightly chiding tone. "My back?"

"All healed up," Emma promises. "I don't think I left anything so you can rest easy knowing your skin will look just as beautiful as before."

Regina gives her a curious and slightly intrigued look as she carefully chances a try at sitting up.

"Just a figure of speech," the blonde mumbles uncomfortably before quickly taking two steps back to give the woman some space.

For a few long, tense moments their eyes lock as they study each other before Regina gives her a brief smile and moves her arms to feel her back and make sure it's really okay.

"Thank you," she says finally and Emma isn't sure if it's for the help or the compliment, or both, but she's too scared to ask.

"Of course, no problem," the blonde forces out instead, eyes darting restlessly around the room as her body's flight instinct starts to kick in. "I did promise to keep saving you, so, you know," she adds with a laugh that sounds entirely unnatural and awkward. Regina's gaze feels smoldering. "It's late, I should go. Henry's all alone and you're fine now, right? So…yeah."

Emma turns on her heel and flees before Regina can open her mouth, leaving behind a frowning, thoughtful and slightly confused woman.


	6. Truth Serum

Rated K+.

* * *

"What the hell is going on here?" Emma shouted at the chaos currently happening before her eyes. Ten or so people, a few that she didn't even know, turned to her at the angry exclamation, the loud arguing quickly lowering to an indistinct murmur at the sheriff's arrival.

David hurriedly pushed his way past a few patrons to reach his daughter. "It's nothing to worry about, Emma, just a little friendly disagreement," he supplied, trying for one of his 'charming' smiles.

"Oh yeah? This looks like one hell of a disagreement to me," Emma replied with a frown.

"Don't worry, honey, it's all under control."

"Like hell it is," Granny interjected grouchily as she stomped her way through the small crowd of people. "Something fishy is going on here, sheriff, and I'm not talking about the batch I have in the back." Someone snickered, but quieted quickly at the glare Granny sent at the mass.

"Suddenly people started spouting accusations, yelling and threatening each other. And I don't want a fight in here."

As if fate was backing her up, a sudden cry of rage erupted from the crowd, followed by a yelp of pain. People hurried to scramble out of the way when Emma started moving, revealing a swearing Leroy being held back by two of his friends while Whale was lying on the ground, lip bleeding. With a sigh, the sheriff brought out her cuffs and shifted to detain the dwarf.

"Watch it, dyke," Leroy spit causing Emma to falter slightly in surprise.

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah, we all know the kind of company you like to keep around now," he snarled, a few murmurs of agreement emerging from the safety of the crowd, and Emma's face grew hard.

"Okay, that's it. I'm taking you all in until I figure out what the hell is going on here," she announced loudly to the diners, ignoring the cacophony of complaints thrown her way as everyone tried to argue their case simultaneously.

"Save it for the station," she yelled at the crowd, waiting until they quieted down again before continuing. "I'll be taking the name of every single one of you before we leave so don't even think about not showing up or I will throw your ass in jail."

A few dismayed whispers could be heard before silence fell over the diner.

"I'll need a pen and paper," Emma informed Granny, releasing an annoyed sigh as the elderly woman nodded primly and disappeared. This was gonna be one hell of a long night.

* * *

"Okay, so let's go over this again," Emma said, tiredly rubbing a hand across her face. So far she'd been through interviews with Whale, Leroy, Archie and three other dwarves that she couldn't really differentiate.

Whale had stared at her with barely disguised contempt, ice-pack tightly pressed to his lip. Leroy had glared at her so hard she got the feeling he was trying to make her melt. Archie, meanwhile, had given her a look of intrigue and vague proudness or something similar, that had made her squirm uncomfortably in her seat far more than the angry, judging looks ever could.

The weird thing about all of this though, was that no matter what they thought of her and getting dragged to the station for interrogation in the late hours of the night, every single one of them had been unusually forthcoming about what had happened in the diner.

"Yes, I goaded Leroy by making shrewd insinuations about Nova."

"No, I don't feel I need to answer to you because you're being controlled by the Evil Queen."

"I think something unnatural might be going on because people accused and admitted things that are obviously best left private and wouldn't normally be announced out loud so freely."

David looked back at her from the other side of the table somewhat sullenly – like he couldn't believe he was really sitting on the wrong side, being interrogated by his own daughter.

"Is this really necessary?" he probed gently and Emma barely resisted rolling her eyes at his attempt at puppy eyes.

"Yes, it is. You already admitted that you were involved."

"But only to try and calm everyone down and defend you."

Emma's brows rose. "Why would I need defending?"

David's lips pursed tightly as if he was trying really hard not to answer. Then he was forced to draw a breath and he sighed before offering, "There were certain less than polite things said."

"What kind of things?" the sheriff probed with a frown, ignoring her father's slightly frustrated look that she wouldn't let it go.

"Some unsavory words about your relationship with Regina."

Emma rubbed a hand over her face in annoyance. Goddamn fairy-tale characters with their vagueness and riddles.

"What unsavory things exactly?" she bit at him. "Be specific," she added at his relieved look at her wording, feeling a brief joy from the frown David sported as he no doubt tried to think of a way out of having to share details.

"Well Dopey said – and I quote – That he saw you swapping spit with the Evil Queen behind isle 3 in the store two weeks ago."

Emma's eyes widened at his words. She thought they were alone.

"And then Leroy said that he saw you-" he paused, a painful and embarrassed look appearing on his face. "Do I really have to say it out loud?"

Emma shifted uncomfortably in her seat and cleared her throat. "Nope, I'm pretty sure I got the gist of it," she quickly agreed, not faulting her father for the relieved breath he expelled.

"So what I'm getting from everyone is that basically you're all forced to tell the truth no matter how much you don't want to."

David nodded his agreement before an almost shameful expression appeared. "Regina came up as a possible culprit," he told her apologetically.

"Of course she did," Emma replied with a tired sigh. Three years later and some people _still_ liked to use her as their default scapegoat. And they said Regina could hold a grudge like no other.

"I tried to tell them she didn't need to do anything like this to make us reveal any secrets, but-"

"Let me guess," the blonde interjected with a knowing, unamused, half-smile, "they accused you of being unable to be impartial since your offspring was cavorting with the enemy."

Her father grimaced. "Close enough."

"Sometimes I wish this town wasn't so full of fairy tale characters," Emma informed him with a dry chuckle as she fished her phone out of her pocket.

"Who are you calling?" David asked her with interest.

"Who do you think," she answered with a raised brow.

* * *

"You could have asked Gold or Blue for this, you know. Is my presence here really necessary?" Regina groused, glaring at Emma and David in turn.

"Someone's been using magic that forces people to tell the truth. Do you really want me to go to one of them?" the sheriff replied smartly, already knowing the answer – just like she knew Regina wasn't really angry for the late night call. The woman may like to act like she didn't care, but in the end this was _her_ town. She's the one who'd made it after all.

"Let me guess. You want me to do my mojo and figure this all out," Regina teased, eyes crinkling in good natured amusement and slight exasperation. "Have you forgotten that you can just do it yourself again, dear?" she mocked.

"Not as good as you though," Emma was quick to reply, ignoring raised brows at the obvious attempt to butter her up. "You know how I am; I might just end up making it worse."

"Indeed," the mayor replied with a smirk as she wiggled her fingers theatrically. "Shall we get to it then?"

* * *

"What?" David Inquired curiously when Regina released a soft 'huh' and her lips pursed thoughtfully.

"There's no trace of magic being used, so I have to assume it's a potion of some kind. Based on what you're telling me, most likely a truth serum."

"Okay, so how do we go about finding the source?" Emma jumped in before her father could say anything further. She would really like to get this solved as quickly as possible so she could go home instead of wasting precious hours of sleep. And possibly other things if her body wasn't too tired.

"Unless you know what kind of food or drink all of the affected consumed, I'd need a sample from pretty much everything."

"Right," Emma answered as she mentally ran through all the conversations she'd had at the station. "I'll ask Eugenia."

* * *

"The beer keg is our best bet," the sheriff announced as she returned with the diner owner. "Can you check that one first and if we find nothing I'll start collecting samples?"

Regina pursed her lips in what looked like annoyance. "You do realize this won't actually tell us who did it, only keep others from being affected?" Emma just stared at her until she released a sigh that signaled her defeat.

"Fine, but if you're wrong I'm not doing any further tests until tomorrow. I won't lose sleep over something that isn't actually life threatening."

Emma grinned and nodded her agreement.

* * *

"I just don't get it," Emma announced as they made their way to the front door of 108 Mifflin Street, "who would put a truth serum in a beer keg? And why? Is it just a prank or were they hoping someone would reveal something particular?"

"I don't know, dear," Regina replied with a tired sigh, fishing out her keys and unlocking the door, before beckoning the blonde inside. "Either way, there's nothing more for you to do now. It's the middle of the night. You can start fresh tomorrow."

"Some of them thinks it was you," the sheriff offered with a yawn as she toed off her boots and shrugged out of her jacket.

"Of course they do."

"And there was a huge argument over the Savior being with the Evil Queen."

"Not surprising."

Emma turned and hugged Regina tightly, burrowing her nose in dark tresses before planting a kiss under a tense jawline. "Stop thinking such ridiculous things," she whispered softly before pulling the woman after her towards the stairs.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Regina replied haughtily, annoyed that Emma seemed to be able to read her mind. So what if there were times when she questioned their relationship? With a whole town who hated her it was a little hard to never doubt her worthiness of the woman they thought of as a hero who could do nothing wrong.

"Of course you don't," Emma agreed with a grin as she pecked pursed lips. "Now please get rid of the clothes and get your very shapely butt in the bed."

Regina pretended to glare at her in offence before she acquiesced and did as told.

"I'm looking forward to reading your very detailed reports of everything that was said," the mayor informed her with a smirk as they settled down, Emma's arms wrapping protectively around her.

"Oh God, you're gonna make them pay, aren't you," Emma groaned as she buried her face against the woman's neck.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Regina hummed happily as she closed her eyes and let her body fully relax.


	7. Accidental Marriage

Rated K.

* * *

It starts out like any other day in a sleepy town in Maine, with Emma eating her usual bear claw and idly looking through her new mails at the sheriff's station – because she's apparently staying so that means she's gone back to her former position. And it's entirely coincidental that she actually clicks on one of the travel agencies' spam that occasionally finds its way to her account – it promises her good offers for experiencing New York so it might not be entirely coincidental because damn it, she still does kinda wish to go back there were everything was all sunshine and roses – and she realizes just what it says.

'_Mrs. Swan, surprise your wife and son with the experience of a lifetime…_'

At first she just snorts in amusement because they've clearly gotten it wrong, or it's just one of those mass generated stupidities where the computer fucks up, but the wording is specific enough to make her wonder.

It stays with her until lunch time, popping up inside her head at random intervals until she's questioning if there may be something more going on. And she really shouldn't cause it's a goddamn email trying to get her to spend money, but she can't let it go. Why would a travel agency assume she's gay? And married?

So on her lunch break she sits down again and goes through her deleted emails, skimming through other spam she's gotten the last few weeks, brows furrowing bewildered as she finds similar wording in several of them. And now she's definitely suspicious that something is going on.

Being sheriff thankfully means that getting access to records so she can investigate is like a walk in the park, and this weird occurrence more than justifies the use of her resources. If Regina bothers her about it – which, now that she's Mayor again is actually not an unusual occurrence – she'll just say that she feared identity theft or something similar.

It only takes one phone call - and some impatient waiting - before she's granted access to her own records and she's glad she's not drinking coffee as she scrolls through it, otherwise she'd have chocked at what exactly she finds.

* * *

"Did you know about this? Is this your doing?" Emma snarls, flinging the door to the mayor's office open and stomping her way over to Regina's desk, before slamming two sheets of paper down hard on the table.

"Is _what_ my doing?" the brunette replies irritably, purposefully not looking down at the sheets thrown in front of her. If Emma Swan thinks she can just barge in and be rude and demanding, she has another thing coming.

"Look at it," Emma growls and the two women stare unfalteringly at each other before Regina sighs and does as told. She doesn't have the patience to deal with the infuriating blonde today so it's better to just get it over with so she can throw her out as quickly as possible.

Dark eyes scan over the first sheet of paper. And then brows scrunch together in confusion as the mayor quickly moves to scan the other page, lips thinning in displeasure at what she sees.

"What the hell is this?" Regina demands once she's double checked that she's seeing what she thinks she's seeing.

"You tell me," Emma answers with a glower and the mayor glares back at her.

"You think I had anything to do with this? How do I know this isn't just you or someone else pulling a prank?"

They carefully search each other's faces for any trace of lies or guilt. Then Emma sighs and shrugs the tension from her shoulders before falling down in one of the chairs.

"You really didn't know?"

"Miss Swan," Regina starts angrily and the blonde releases a huff of irritation - she's only ever called that when Regina is accusing her of something these days - , "Why in the world would I do something like this? What could I possibly gain from it?"

"Use my damn name, Regina, I'm not the one at fault here," Emma bites back because she's not about to take the blame for this and Regina has no right to be all bitchy. She's the one who was having a minor freak out at the station earlier, so if anyone should be upset, it's her.

"Neither am I," the mayor retorts immediately.

"And you could get Henry."

Regina shoots her a look of incredulity. "I could get Henry? Have you lost part of your memories when they returned? Henry is legally _mine_. Last I checked **my** name was on the custody papers so if I wanted I could force the two of you apart."

A ripple of fear shoots down Emma's spine at the possible threat that was just thrown her way, but before she can reply the other woman's eyes narrow at her as she spits accusingly, "Maybe you did it because _you_ want Henry."

"Fine, so neither of us has anything to with it," the sheriff concedes with a worried breath. The last thing she wants is for this to turn into being about something it's not since that can only end in trouble for her.

"Is it real?"

Emma cocks one brow. "If by that you mean 'does the whole of America think you and I are legitimately married' then, yes."

The mayor sucks in a breath. "But this is insane. How could it have happened, who would do somethi-"

"What?" Emma probes when the woman stops mid rant and looks down at the marriage certificates thoughtfully.

"It's…the new curse. It has to be. That's the only logical explanation."

"What about it could possibly be logical?" Emma exclaims disbelievingly. How can she be freaking _married_ to Regina Mills? Of all the people a stupid curse could put her with of course it had to be her.

"Isn't it?" the brunette shoots back with a pointed look. "Henry is our son is he not?"

"Well, yeah, but there's a huge goddamn difference between sharing a kid and being _married_."

Regina eyes the blonde's outburst unimpressed. Sure it's a shocking turn of events and not ideal for either of them, but there's no reason to go crazy over it. It's entirely fixable after all.

"Will you stop pouting and throwing tantrums like a child," she chides the sheriff with a huff. "It's not like we can't undo it. It will require a little time of course, but all we need to do is file for a divorce."

"You…you wanna un-marry me?" Emma asks, voice hurt and fake betrayal shining in her eyes that has Regina rolling her own in exasperation.

"Emma, we're obviously not married or about to get married and you're the one who came in here acting crazy so don't look all shocked and heartbroken over it."

There's a sudden gleam in green eyes that makes the mayor regard her suspiciously.

"You wanna divorce me? I bet it's your fault it didn't work out. Did you cheat on me? You did, didn't you? With that gardener. It's always the gardener. Or the pool boy. Ooh, maybe it was a pool _girl_."

"Miss Swan!" Regina berates even as she can't hide the slight upturn at the corner of her lips. "Maybe, seeing as the sheriff's office clearly doesn't have enough work to fill their time, you'd like to get the process started?"

"Whatever you say, Madame Mayor," Emma replies with a grin as she stands and moves to take back the papers.

"I'll keep those, just in case," Regina tells her, palm quickly falling down to prevent questing fingers from reaching their target. The blonde raises a brow, but backs up.

"I can't believe you'd cheat on me," Emma teases as she turns and makes her way to the door.

"It's not my fault you couldn't handle me," the brunette say seductively, voice low and laced with innuendo, just as the sheriff opens the door. She laughs out loud when the woman trips slightly, giving her a glare before disappearing.


	8. Creator's Choice: Intoxication

Rated T.

AN: A day early because I'm leaving for vacation without my computer and possibly no internet.

* * *

The knocking on her door was turning into borderline pounding and Emma Swan growled annoyed as she pushed herself up from the couch, muttering curses at whoever dared disturb her at this hour.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming," she yelled as she stomped towards the incessant noise. "Jesus, calm your damn horses." She threw the door open, ready to verbally attack the one on the other side, only to rear back in surprise as someone nearly stumbled into her, clearly having leaned themselves against the door.

"Finally," she heard and she let her eyes roam over the other figure in disbelief. High heels, bare legs, blood red lips and slightly ragged brown hair.

"Regina?"

"I've been out here forever, Miss Swan, why the hell weren't you answering? Are you avoiding me?" The brunette pushed a stray hair out of her face and pouted as she straightened herself to her full height. Emma's eyes narrowed.

"Are you drunk?"

Regina scoffed as she raised her arm and pushed the other woman out of her way. "I bet you would just _love_ that, wouldn't you?" she accused as she strutted towards the couch, swaying ever so slightly.

"Jesus," the sheriff whispered to herself as she shut the door, amazed that the woman could even walk in those heels when she was so clearly inebriated, and turned to stare at her son's adoptive mother as she plopped down on the sofa undignified. She had never seen the woman so casual and a moment later Regina seemed to realize this as well because she sat up straight and crossed one leg over the other primly, staring around the room with a look of disdain.

"You should really think about cleaning up a little better, Miss Swan. This place seems highly unsanitary. It's not fit for a growing child."

"Henry doesn't seem to mind," Emma growled annoyed as she made her way over with a scowl and threw herself down in the one chair she had next to the couch. Flashing dark pools pierced her angrily and she sucked in a breath to steel herself for the oncoming onslaught.

"Of course he doesn't. Anything is preferable to living with me, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to act like an actual mother and not his buddy-buddy. He needs stability, good food and a healthy environment."

"Jesus Regina, he's a kid, he adapts. Give me a break."

"A break? _A break_?! " she thundered as she shot up from the sofa and Emma almost forgot to listen as she became fascinated by the dangerous swaying the woman did even as she went on her tirade without a moment's pause. "Like everyone is so inclined to give me?"

"Regina, please sit back down-" Emma tried to coo, convinced the woman would fall over any second.

"NO, you can't tell me what to do. You don't control me," the brunette practically screamed, arms flailing and she was up from her chair in a flash on instinct to steady the woman.

"Don't you _dare_ touch me," Regina screeched, trying to push her away. It backfired and instead she stumbled, bringing the blonde down with her on the sofa so she was hovering above her awkwardly as she tried not to crash her weight against the intoxicated brunette beneath her.

"Calm down, woman," she breathed in annoyance, shifting and trying to pull herself away, only to find herself unable to as the former mayor clutched tightly at her shirt.

"Don't leave me," Regina sobbed, fisting the other woman's shirt more desperately in her grip. "Everyone always leaves me. I have nothing."

Emma let out a puff of breath in frustration. It was way too late for her to be dealing with a drunk, unpredictable former Evil Queen.

"I won't. Just release me so I can sit down," she promised, ignoring how close they were in this position and how her hovering above the inebriated woman made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

The brunette sniffed before she slackened her grip enough for the other woman to slide down on the couch next to her. As soon as her ass touched the cushions though, Regina snuggled tightly against her side.

Emma froze with her hands awkwardly in the air as her son's adoptive mom moved herself up close, head falling to her shoulder as her hands re-fisted the material of her shirt possessively.

"Am I really so horrible that no one wants to be with me?" Regina asked with a snivel and the blonde let her hand fall stiffly to a shoulder, patting the woman reluctantly, not knowing how to comfort her. "Do I deserve to always be left behind? To always have everything I care about taken away from me?"

"Of course you don't," the sheriff replied quickly, praying that the woman was not going to have a complete breakdown in her apartment, not knowing what to do with a hysterical former mayor.

The brunette pushed herself away abruptly, staring up into worried green eyes. "Then why does it always happen?"

"I don't know, Regina. Maybe because sometimes the world just sucks." The woman seemed to mull that over, tongue peeking out between plump lips as her eyes took on a faraway look and her grip on her shirt slackened.

"I need to get you home in bed," Emma pressed before rising from the couch and Regina lunged forwards to grasp desperately at her wrist.

"No, I don't want to go back there. It's so big and quiet and…lonely," she pleaded, looking up with glistening eyes and a trembling bottom lip and the blonde wished it didn't look so damn cute. Like a wounded puppy that was in dire need of love and protection. Damn it.

She sighed. "I don't know how much you've had to drink and you need to be in a bed when you crash."

"So take me to yours," Regina shot back immediately, her free hand settling against the other woman's sternum.

"I…What?" the sheriff blurted out in surprise, brows furrowing as fingers danced down to settle in her belt loops before she was tugged forward, closer to the woman now sitting on the edge of the couch.

"I'll make it worth your while," the brunette purred, voice dropping to a lower, more seductive register that sent shivers down Emma's spine.

"Regina, you're drunk."

The woman's eyes flashed with something akin to rejection and hurt before she pushed harshly against hips, causing the blonde to stumble backwards, barely managing to brace herself against the small table to not fall completely.

"Fine," Regina said, rising stiffly and taking a moment to balance herself. "Goodnight, Miss Swan."

"Wha-Regina, wait just a moment. Where are you going?"

"Unlike most people related to my son, _I_ know when I'm not wanted," she replied with a sniff before pushing past the sheriff.

"No, wait. I do want you here." Emma couldn't believe it had come to this. She should just let the woman go, that was what she had wanted just moments ago right? But it was clear the former mayor wasn't in the right mind set, clear that she was not sober. And the best thing for everyone would be to get her into bed where she could keep an eye on her, right? That way, Henry wouldn't get mad at her if she let his other mom get hurt and the townspeople wouldn't accuse her of not making sure they were safe from any possible shenanigans the 'Evil Queen' could come up with.

The blonde blew out a frustrated breath as Regina turned to her, crossed her arms and pursed her lips, clearly waiting for something more.

How anyone could think this woman was still evil was beyond her. It was so painfully clear that the person standing in front of her was anything but. This was a woman who had lost everything and didn't know what to do with herself anymore.

"Please, just come and sit."

Regina raised her cheek with pride and shot her a look of disdain before she surrendered and made her way back to the sofa.

"I thought you said I needed to get into bed anyway," she said with a sniff as she plopped back down and crossed her legs before changing her mind, uncrossing them and kicking off her high heels before re-crossing them again.

"Right," Emma confirmed distractedly as she stared at the legs right in front of her, bare feet now on display. She had never really been a foot-woman, but the former mayor had nice feet. And nice calves and a nice ass and, okay let's face it, a nice _everything_.

"Are you sure you don't want to take me up on my offer," the brunette asked with a smirk and she had enough sense in her to look away quickly, trying to keep her embarrassment from showing at being caught staring.

"What offer?" she asked, feigning innocence and hoping the woman would let it go. She should have known better of course. Regina was forward sober and so she should have known that under alcoholic influence she would be brutally honest.

"Take me to bed and I'll make it worth your while. If you'll be a good girl, the offer still stands." Regina's eyes looked over her pointedly. "And by good I mean _very_ naughty, of course."

Emma felt her knees go weak. No, hold up a minute. Bad Emma. Regina was drunk. She had to keep it in her pants. The woman wouldn't touch her with a pole if she was sober. Yeah, that dampened her raging libido. If Regina wasn't inebriated, she wouldn't be flirting with her like this. Bummer. Because she'd be lying if she said she hadn't thought about the other woman. The former mayor was stunning after all.

The blonde sucked in a breath as she held out her hand to her and the brunette sent her a wicked grin before taking it, letting her son's birth mother pull her to her feet. "How very gentlewomanly," she said, leaning over to press her lips briefly against pink ones before she broke away with a giggle, apparently finding her own wit hilarious. Emma simply rolled her eyes and started guiding the woman towards her bedroom.

* * *

The first thing Regina became aware of when she returned to the land of consciousness was the throbbing in her head. There was literally a pounding behind her eyeballs that made her wish she hadn't woken. She released a pained groan before daring to crack an eye open. She released another groan, this time in frustration, when she realized she was definitely not in her own room, in her own bed.

This was just great. Not only had she stupidly overindulged last night and had the headache to prove it, but she had probably managed to make a total ass of herself. She needed to get the hell away from here, to try to make a hasty and hopefully not entirely ungraceful exit. She threw off the comforter, ready to force herself upright when bare flesh stopped her short.

And then her heart started hammering quickly in her chest and she scrambled to pull the sheets back over herself because, _holy shit, she wasn't wearing clothes._ Sure her minimalistic undergarments were still in place, but that didn't give away much and, _oh my God, what had she done last night?_

This was insane. Who in their right mind would ever dare be with the Evil Queen? Could this morning get any worse?

And because the universe always loved to laugh in her face, the door to the unknown room she was currently inhabiting, sans clothes, began creaking open. And when blonde locks became visible, Regina Mills fell back in the bed in disbelief, groaning loudly and closing her eyes as she wished this was all a dream that she could wake up from.

"Morning."

"Is it?" she rasped, refusing to open her eyes, still having a tiny hope that if she just refused to accept this reality, it would simply go away.

"Eh, close enough," Emma replied and in her mind's eye Regina was picturing the way the blonde usually shrugged her shoulders in an '_I don't care, I'm too cool to worry'_ sort of way that always annoyed her. She chose to ignore the woman's presence altogether on the off chance it might make her leave.

Silence filled the room for maybe all of 30 seconds before the sheriff apparently grew too impatient. "Soooo…you getting up?" Regina sighed, but refused to answer. God, couldn't she just take the hint and go away? Emma clearly decided to take the silence as an invitation instead because moments later she felt the bed dip.

"What the hell to you think you're doing?" Regina screeched as her eyes flew open and she automatically clutched tighter to the comforter currently protecting her state of undress.

"Well, if you're not gonna get up, I'm sure as hell going back to sleep. Late night." There was definitely a silent _duh_ in there somewhere and it made Regina's lips purse in irritation. Not to mention that awful smirk Emma wore that said she knew something Regina didn't.

"You're going to sleep _here_?"

"Well, it's my bed, my apartment and it's warm and comfy. Why shouldn't I?" The smile sent her way was equal parts teasing and something else and for a moment Regina's mind stopped working. Then she frowned.

"You want a list? How about the fact that we can't stand each other? Or the fact that I need to find my son and I'm practically _naked_."

"You didn't seem to mind my company last night and _our_ son is safe with his grandparents." Emma wiggled her eyebrows in a way Regina was pretty sure was supposed to be suggestive before she reached for the duvet covering the brunette. "Now gimme, I'm getting cold and it's not nice not to share."

Regina stared at Emma in confusion and disbelief. Then the cover started to lift and instinct kicked in. With a squeal that she would later deny, Regina's legs flew out and pressed against the intruder. There followed a short 'oof' sound and a dull thud before incredulous green eyes peeked over the edge of the bed.

"Seriously, did you just kick me out of bed?"

Regina gave the best indignant stare she could muster in her lying position as she clutched tightly to the duvet again. "You were obviously trying to take advantage as I already told you that I'm underdressed."

Emma released a snort and started to scramble up from the floor. "Seriously, woman, are you listening to yourself? It's not like I didn't see it all last night anyway."

Heat came unbidden to the brunette's cheeks at the words. _What in the hell had she managed to get herself into last night? Wasn't her relationship with Henry's birth mother complicated enough? Had she really made an even further mess by sleeping with the woman?_

"I guess it really shouldn't come as a surprise to me, but I can't believe you would take advantage of an inebriated woman."

"Hey, there was no advantage taking from my side," Emma replied indignantly as she crossed her arms before adding as an afterthought, "And inebriated is putting it mildly."

"Somehow I find that hard to believe considering I'm currently finding myself _without clothes_," Regina bit back, ignoring the sheriff's last part altogether.

"Look, can you just-" the blonde started in annoyance, her arms flailing about for a moment before she forced herself to calm down. "I'm tired, okay? So either leave or let me go to sleep; I don't care either way."

The mayor released an aggravated huff. "Fine. Leave." The two women stared hard at each other before Emma shook her head and did as requested.

Regina closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she forced herself to move. She clutched the cover close to her body as she stood - not trusting for a second that one Emma Swan could find a perfectly ridiculous excuse to come barging right back in - and started looking around for her clothes.

To her great relief she found the items in question in the old chair nearby. Unfortunately, the poor way they were folded told her that the blonde sheriff had most likely been the one to do it, and she had only fuzzy memories of getting out of the clothes.

She frowned in displeasure as she once again berated herself for losing control last night and cursed Emma Swan for doing whatever the hell she did and not even owning up to it. The woman was clearly having way too much fun at her expense and there was no way she would flat out ask what had happened between them. She would simply assume nothing did, unless the blonde saw fit to tell her otherwise.

Fake it until you make it and ignorance is bliss. Two very good sayings she would put to use concerning this particular experience.

* * *

Emma barely stopped herself from bursting out in laughter as a dark head popped warily out from the bedroom door, eyes roaming the room cautiously before finding the blonde and narrowing into a glare.

"Do you need a lift?" she offered when Regina emerged fully, running her hands over the fabric of her dress before lifting her head and adopting a 'better than you' attitude.

"And risk death? I don't think so. I'll walk," the brunette replied haughtily as she stalked through the small living room towards the exit. No way in hell was she going to subject herself to another moment with the insufferable woman.

Halfway to the door, Regina realized something and turned 90 degrees so she could march herself into the blonde's personal space.

"If you breathe a word of this to anyone," she threatened lowly, not waiting for confirmation before spinning around. She made sure to slam the door after her just for good measure.


End file.
